Home For The Holidays
by hbomba
Summary: Kenzi comes home for Christmas.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Home For the Holidays

Authors: hbomba & lonejaguar

Rating: M

Summary: Kenzi comes home for Christmas.

Author's Notes: This takes place within the series finale, before the teen Dagny scene. This fic goes out to osixtytwo. I know I promised a Gemini Effect sequel dedication, but this came out of the oven first and in the spirit of giving back, here's some holiday cheer, friend.

* * *

"At Christmas, all roads lead home." | Marjorie Holmes

* * *

"Christmas is a time when you get homesick — even when you're home." | Carol Nelson

* * *

"I bought every fashion magazine at the news stand and two cases of cherry Coke," Bo called from across the room. "They were out of taquitos so I got burritos instead." She looked over to Lauren who stood in the wide doorway from the kitchen to the living room. "Do you think she'll notice?"

Lauren tore a segment from a clementine and held it in front of her lips. "Notice what?" She popped the small fruit into her mouth.

Bo shook her head and let her arms drop to her side. "Am I trying too hard?"

"It's certainly a possibility." She smirked.

"I just want her to feel welcome," Bo sighed as she walked toward Lauren.

Lauren set the small citrus fruit aside and stepped into Bo's space. "Bo, she's coming home for Christmas, it'll be fine." She smoothed her hands over Bo's arms. "It'll be fine," she repeated with a nod.

"I hope she likes it here." She looked around the townhouse, at their combined belongings mingling in the space. There wasn't much of Bo's left after the fire, so while there were some items that were salvageable, much of the furniture was Lauren's from her Dark Fae condo downtown. If they had to get anything, Lauren was more accommodating than Bo expected when it came to decorating, but she always managed to leave her touch.

Her eyes paused on the windows that overlooked their modest patch of grass which passed as a front yard. She hadn't seen it in weeks, covered in a record-setting December snowfall. In front was their small tree, decorated with Peanuts characters and colorful ornaments, placed equidistant from each other and between the tinsel garland. It was the perfect Christmas tree.

Their townhouse was about the size of the Clubhouse; it was a necessity for Lauren's home-based laboratory, both for safety of her more sensitive research as well as a place for her to retreat to. Their place had an extra room, for guests, they told themselves. And among the common areas on the main floor was an office and a third bedroom for Kenzi. It was an important detail they made sure their realtor was aware of.

"What's not to love?" Lauren snaked her arms around Bo's waist and smiled. "Stop worrying. She loves you, she's going to love everything you've done for her."

Kissing Lauren's shoulder, Bo mumbled. "She loves you too, you know."

Lauren smirked. "On occasion."

It had been a long eight months since Kenzi left for higher ground. But the flood never came and Bo missed her bestie. So when Kenzi called from a payphone in the pouring rain one night in October, the drops pelting the tin roof of the telephone booth echoing in the receiver as she said, _"I want to come home,"_ Bo nearly crumbled. She told her it wasn't safe, even though there hadn't been so much as a peep from the normal baddies they faced together in the past. Another call came some time later but this time she didn't ask permission. "I'm coming home for the holidays, Bo."

* * *

Painstakingly, Kenzi laced her knee-high boots, humming Jingle Bells as her fingers worked the laces through eyelets. Dagny cooed from the carrier a few feet away and Kenzi smiled. It was go-time. She would return to Fae town tonight-Christmas Eve-and they would see her friends, her adopted Fae family after a long absence. She knew it was important to take Dagny away from Bo in case Hades came back with a vengeance, but after living in a tiny rural town for months, Kenzi selfishly missed civilization. She also missed her family. Raising a baby was something Kenzi never imagined she would be doing before the age of thirty but here she was, caring for Tamsin's heir, keeping her safe and nurturing her.

She zipped a duffel bag and slung it across her shoulder and a diaper bag on the other. "Ready, baby?" She scooped up her keys, unlocked three deadbolts and two chains, picking up the car seat before leaving her tiny basement apartment behind.

* * *

The steam rose up and covered his face. The preparation of the night's feast had begun late the evening before in the Dal's kitchen, everything laid out and painstakingly organized. Now, Vex moved with precision from the stove, to the fridge, to the prep area he'd created, and back to the stove again. He didn't notice the shadow in the corner, moving slowly and silently across the floor until it was hovering next to him.

"Jesus Christ," Vex jumped, holding a wooden spoon over his heart. "You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days."

Mark smirked and hopped up onto the countertop next to the large cutting board. He picked a carrot off the top of a pile and popped it in his mouth. "Smells good in here."

"Oy." Vex smacked Mark off the counter. "I'm cooking here. I don't need your ass on my plate."

Mark smirked and leaned into him. "Really?"

Vex elbowed the young shifter back a few steps. "Cheeky," he said with a smirk. "Now get out of here before you ruin dinner."

Mark grinned over his shoulder as he pushed through the kitchen doors and into the bar area of the Dal. He glanced over the scores of ancient booze before the open expanse of the Dal spread out before him. They didn't expect much business on Christmas Eve, so they decided to hold dinner for everyone, hoping it would help heal the still smarting wounds of their war months ago.

"Mark." Dyson waved him over to the fireplace. "Help me move these tables." They pulled a few together in front of the fire that had only just been lit that morning, moving the seating areas around it. It started to resemble a large farmhouse. The loud crash from the kitchen and subsequent swearing made them both jump. Dyson sighed and shook his head.

"He's trying his best, you know," Mark said.

Dyson grumbled. "I wish he would try a little quieter." He pushed the last chairs under the table. "We need eight," he said, speaking of place settings.

Mark frowned and counted on his hand. "Eight?"

"We honor those we've lost."

* * *

The sheet snapped and floated down onto the bed. Lauren tucked the corners beneath the mattress and smoothed a hand over the cool cotton before pulling the duvet over top. She turned, hands on her hips to the bassinet a few feet away. Her fingers played at the lace trim on the baby's blanket before picking up a small stuffed toy. She was ready-for everything. Soon there would be a baby in their midst and it had reawakened something in her, but she knew Bo wasn't on the same page and struggled with the best way to broach the subject.

"Penny for your thoughts." Bo leaned against the doorjamb, arms crossed, a smile playing on her lips.

Lauren looked up abruptly. "How much time do you have?"

Bo's face went slack. What she had meant as a joke had hit the mark with Lauren. "What's up?" Bo pushed off the doorjamb and glided to Lauren's side, her hand reaching out to feel the small fuzzy lamb's ear.

A small smile, that shy head tilt, and Lauren was letting down her guard. "I'm ready, Bo."

"Yeah, it looks great in here…" Bo looked around the guest room that Lauren had decorated in the grand tradition of fine hotels.

She covered Bo's hand on the stuffed toy. "No, Bo. I'm ready for a baby."

Bo's mouth hung open. "Lauren, I-" Her words were a jumble, unable to escape.

"You're not ready." Lauren nodded.

"No-I mean, it's not safe."

Lauren laughed. "When will it be safe, Bo?"

Bo looked away. "Give it some time."

Lauren set the stuffed lamb into the bassinet and steeled herself against Bo's gaze. "Time is not on my side."

"Lauren."

She waved a hand and walked past Bo, out of the guest room without another word. She found her on the back porch, a frostbitten daisy between her fingers, the same pensive look on her face. Bo looked out over the immaculately groomed back yard covered in a dusting of snow, its landscaping once filled with medicinal plants amidst local greenery.

Bo sat in the deck chair beside Lauren. "I'm sorry," she said, finally.

She shook her head. "I knew going into a relationship with you, that things would never be as simple as that."

"Lauren…"

"I'm happy," she said, looking at Bo. "I really am, but this feeling won't go away."

"Just… what about us?"

"What _about_ us?"

Bo struggled with her words. "We've spent all these years chasing each other and now that we're finally together again, all I want is to spend time with _you_." She willed herself to finish the thought. "I just don't think a baby is going to give us more time together."

Lauren knew she was having a hard time with Kenzi being gone and now with the addition of Lauren's baby woes, the conflict in her eyes was real. She nodded, sure that Bo hadn't seen her reply but Bo nodded too. A silence blanketed them as the cold settled into her bones. Lauren shivered and hugged her coat around herself tighter. Even under snow, Lauren took great joy in her backyard. She had worked on it for a month in the fall. She tilled the soil with her bare hands and planted bulbs and seeds, grasses and trees. Bo helped on occasion, but it was Lauren's creation. It was Lauren's de-facto baby.

"Sure," her voice was hollow, even as her breath still hung in the frosty air between them.

Bo knew there was so much to be said but selfishly she postponed the inevitable because there was safety in distance. Still, her hand reached for Lauren's and held it.

* * *

End part 1


	2. Chapter 2

If the holiday spirit could be spread with song, the windows of Kenzi's car would be spilling Christmas cheer as she barreled towards Fae Town. Kenzi was singing at the top of her lungs, the baby gurgling in her car seat in the back when the car shook with the impact of something she must have missed on the snow-covered roadway. The sudden noise moved the baby to cry, wailing against the carols on the radio, creating a holiday movie nightmare. She tried to soothe Dagny while she eased onto the shoulder of the small rural highway. "Shit."

Kicking open her door, she walked around the car, her boots crunching in the snow. She had one very flat tire. With a sigh and a silent _'fuck,'_ she phoned for roadside assistance-it would be a two-hour wait. She waved at Dagny through the window, who happily kicked her feet as Kenzi dialed again. "Hey Bo-Bocita, I've got a flat… No, no, we're fine. Just waiting for the tow truck… I'll let you know when we get back on the road."

* * *

Bo sighed and hung up her phone. She tried not to worry, but a little thing like a blown tire could leave Kenzi stranded for hours with no protection. She tried to keep the faith and pushed it out of her mind, thoughts returning to Lauren's quandary. Her quandary.

"Was that Kenzi?" Lauren walked into the room with a roll of wrapping paper and scissors. "Is she close?"

"She has a flat tire." Bo said looking at her phone futilely.

Lauren stopped and Bo could see the worry written all over her face. "Are they…safe?" Her hesitation was palpable, her concern, great.

"She's going to call when she's back on the road." Bo set her phone aside and patted the sofa beside her. "Sit with me." Lauren loomed closer but did not sit immediately. She was thinking and Bo knew how dangerous her thoughts could be. "Please?"

It was awkward, the way she sat stiffly beside Bo. They were lovers but it might have been impossible to tell by her posture at that moment. There was nothing she could say to ease her discomfort. Check that. There was one thing she could say to end their stalemate but Bo could not say those words. Instead she cradled Lauren's hand in hers and spoke softly. "They'll be fine," she said for Lauren's benefit as much as her own.

A sigh and Bo knew her attempts to redirect Lauren's worries had failed. It was Christmas Eve and she was sitting in front of a neatly decorated Christmas tree with her love and they were anything but happy. It was crushing to be to be facing yet another obstacle when they had fought through a hailstorm already.

* * *

"Would you relax?"

Mark watched Vex pace back and forth in the back of the kitchen. The mesmer was always a few steps from losing his mind altogether, but Mark was beginning to see it for what it was: a great ruse. Vex was strong and ruthless, but as he began to see the good in others, he himself became softer and more willing to be merciful. That vulnerability was what drew Mark to Vex in the first place. The challenge was how he decided to deal with that vulnerability and how to channel it into something productive instead of pacing in front of the walk-in.

" _Seriously_." Mark hissed and Vex stopped suddenly. "You're stressing me out."

"I'm stressing _you_ out?" Vex exclaimed, his voice immediately dropping to a whisper. "I've been planning a holiday feast for the only people in the world who've accepted me as part of their mentally unstable and sexually ambiguous family for the last month so that hopefully, _hopefully_ , the one who sired my statuesque boyfriend might actually not want to slit my throat every time he looks at me."

Mark puffed his chest out. "I'm your boyfriend?"

Vex rolled his eyes. "Focus, grasshopper."

"I _am_ focused." Mark took Vex's hands. "On you."

"Ugh, you sound like an after-school special." Vex looked over to the ovens. "I have to pull my buns out."

Mark smirked. "Uh huh."

"I have no time for your witty repartee, this meal demands my undivided attention if I'm gonna pull this off," Vex muttered as he turned back to his cutting board.

Shaking his head, Mark fought the urge to hop onto the counter beside him. "One of these days, you're going to have to realize people love you for who you are." He patted him on the back before walking out the galley doors.

* * *

Kenzi hovered over the tow truck driver as he tightened the lug nuts on the van's spare. "On your way home for Christmas?" He said between grunts.

"Clichéd, but yes."

"Families ought to be together this time of year."

Kenzi smiled. "You're wise beyond your years, Cletus." She patted his shoulder and he clambered to his feet.

"Don't speed and get a new tire as soon as you get to civilization."

"You got it."

He turned and walked back to his truck. "Keep that baby safe, Miss."

A shiver ran through her body and she backed away from the tire, keeping the man in sight as she opened her door and locked herself inside. She looked in her rearview mirror at the sleeping baby, as she turned the key in the ignition. Her hand covered the handle of her katana, and then shifted the van into gear. Dusk was falling as her tires spun on the gravel, pulling away from the tow truck.

How could she have let her guard down? For starters, it took three hours for him to show up. If he had meant to kill her, the waiting almost did. But honestly, a guy named Cletus, with a MOM tattoo on his forearm and LIVE and FREE on his knuckles screamed Patriot, but Fae bounty hunter was a stretch. Maybe it was a coincidence, but his wording made her awaken to her purpose again: keeping Dagny safe.

* * *

"You okay?" Bo shifted the Camaro into gear, its engine roaring as they accelerated.

She nodded. "I'm fine."

Checking the rearview mirror, Bo pulled onto the shoulder and stopped the car. Lauren looked at her expectantly. "What?"

"You can't put me off forever… Or maybe you can," she laughed.

"Lauren, I think I've given you the wrong idea."

"I want a family."

"I want one, too," she blurted. "But in the past nine months I've burned everything I've ever owned, found my mother and grandfather murdered, returned my father to Hell, sent my best friend away to take care of my little sister, shacked up with you, and maybe, just maybe, I've learned to lighten up a little. You'll have to forgive me if the baby train is leaving the station without me." Bo exhaled. "It's a lot to take in."

Lauren listened but had only heard one thing. "You want a baby?" She asked, breathless.

A thousand-watt smile. "Definitely." Her hand brushed the hair away from Lauren's temple. "But Lauren, until Dagny has matured, we are going to be living a dangerous life."

Lauren's hopeful expression fell flat. "I'm tired of waiting my turn, Bo."

"If anything happened to you… And then throw in a baby… It's a scary thought for me."

Lauren smiled. "Bo Dennis, I think this is the first time I've heard you say that."

Bo looked away suddenly self-conscious. "Doesn't change the reality of the situation."

"Maybe not." They both looked out their respective windows, staring at nothing. They played this game a lot, waiting for the other to continue the awkward conversation. Bo almost always lost.

She sighed. "Can we just set this aside for tonight?"

Lauren closed her eyes, unable to meet Bo's gaze. "Sure."

Bo nodded and decided not to challenge Lauren's obvious lie as she put the Camaro in gear again. Kenzi and Dagny were coming home. It was against Bo's nature to fake anything but she wasn't going to let disharmony distract from Kenzi's visit. Even if it meant faking it.

* * *

"Where is everyone?" Vex burst out of the kitchen and into the bar, raving. "The prime rib is getting cold, the scalloped potatoes are congealing, the asparagus is overcooked, and my Christmas pudding is turning to mush!"

Dyson looked up from the pool cue he was glaring down on as the side door opened. "Take it easy, Ghoulia Childs." Bo walked in a bag of presents in each hand, Lauren followed, smiling convincingly at the men.

"Timing is everything."

"You don't have to tell a succubus that." Dyson smirked at Lauren who walked around the bar and pulled a pair of beers from the taps. She sat with her back to the bar and surveyed the Dal, transformed for their meal. A long table dominated the room, garlands, ornaments, and pine cones decorated the table and large fireplace. Bo hugged Dyson and Lauren smiled. It was so nice not to be threatened by something so innocent like it might have in the past. They had made their deal, and forged their pact through understanding _at last._

"Where is that urchin?" Vex called again from the doorway to the kitchen. "I've slaved all day and I won't have it going to waste."

"Settle down, Vexy, your shoe chef has arrived!" Kenzi burst through the side door with the car seat and diaper bag in tow. She hauled the load with convincing strength even as the group rushed to help her.

"Hurry up and sit down, will ya?" Vex grouched.

Bo took the baby's carrier and spoke to Dagny softly. "You're getting so big!"

Lauren took the diaper bag from Kenzi's shoulder and they walked toward the table together. When they had settled in, Vex began bringing out the plates and setting them in front of each guest. A quiet dinner was a chef's best friend. It meant he had hit it out of the park. When the accolades came at the end of the meal, Vex devoured them. This was his acceptance. When Dyson turned to him and said _"Good meal, Vex"_ and meant it, Vex thought maybe he was on his way to making an impact on the wolf.

* * *

The table was nearly deserted an hour later, each diner having split off into different corners of the bar. Christmas carols played softly behind the clacking of pool balls, and the soft murmuring of Lauren, who sat in a large leather chair next to the fireplace, Dagny asleep in her lap.

From her chair at the table, Bo watched Lauren straighten the baby's collar, making sure every inch of her was covered, but not too much. When Dagny wiggled, burbling before falling back asleep, the smile that crossed Lauren's face made Bo's chest tighten. Was this really happening? Bo made shapes in her leftover potatoes. She had always dreamed of the ideal family life and here it was, banging down her door.

The chair next to her skidded back. "Can we talk?" Kenzi whispered to Bo as she looked around the room.

Bo sighed, relieved by the interruption. "Of course, what's up?"

"How do I say this?" Bo looked at her and raised her eyebrows expectantly. "I want to come home."

Bo shook her head. "Kenzi, it's too soon. Too dangerous."

"You keep saying that, but I don't see how me out there on my own is safer than here with my Fae family."

"We decided this a long time ago."

" _You_ decided this," Kenzi corrected her. "I went along with it because I would do _anything_ for you."

Bo sighed. Everything was coming at her three-hundred miles an hour all of a sudden. "Kenz…"

"Bo-Bo, we miss you." She cocked her head and smiled. "Please?"

* * *

End part 2


	3. Chapter 3

The red striped ball zipped from bumper to bumper on the pool table, rolling casually into the corner pocket next to Mark's hand. He shook his head, exhaling.

"Nice shot," he said, sipping his fourth beer.

Dyson glanced at him as he stalked around the table. He leaned forward, his arm stretching out, his eyes leveled with the table. A quick pull and another striped ball ended up in another pocket. Mark looked off toward the bar where Vex performed an animated reenactment of an old conquest for Kenzi, who cheered when the evil Fae was vanquished. The smile on his face faded as his ears picked up the subsonic growl from the man across the table.

"What's your problem?" Mark said, hushed, but insistent.

Dyson chalked his cue, not used to another shifter, especially a cat, around him who would be able to hear it. "Nothing."

"Bull shit." Mark started around the table, but the harsh growl stopped him in his tracks.

"Do _not_ talk to me like that." His chest rumbled. "I'm your father."

Mark frowned and took the last defiant steps toward Dyson. "I don't care who you are, it's still bullshit."

Dyson growled in frustration. "Why do you have to defend him constantly?"

"Because he's my _boyfriend_ and he's a good person."

There was a long pause while Dyson chose his words carefully. "If you knew what I know, you would not say such things."

"What does he have to do to get your approval?"

Dyson gripped the cue in his hands. "Maybe not sleeping with my son might have softened me up."

Mark waved his hand. "That's old news."

"Well, it still feels pretty new to me."

Vex appeared between them then, neither shifter had noticed his approach. Several drinks in, the Mesmer was feeling good and hopped up onto the pool table, crossing his legs. "What are we talking about?"

"Nothing," Dyson grumbled.

"I'm going to go get another drink." Mark turned and walked off to the bar.

Vex looked from Mark to Dyson. "Something I said?"

* * *

From her seat at the table, Kenzi winced at the shifters and Vex. And Kenzi thought _she_ had family troubles. She turned to Lauren who smiled at her. Dagny had been quite literally attached to Lauren's hip since they walked through the door.

"Can't get enough of that kid, hey Lauren?"

"She's beautiful." Lauren admired the child like facets of a precious gem.

"I'm getting some serious baby-making vibes from you right now, Doc." Kenzi moved her arms for dramatic flair.

Lauren blinked and straightened in her chair. "What?"

"I've only seen you look at one person like that, Doc, and her name rhymes with toe." Lauren who was playing This Little Piggy, pulled her hand away from Dagny's foot abruptly.

"What gives, Doc? Is Bo on board?" Lauren shook her head and passed the baby back to Kenzi. An obvious sore spot. "I mean, you know Bo, she can be a little slow about working things out."

"Yeah." She nodded. "I know Bo." Lauren pushed her chair back and stood beside it. "I'm just waiting my turn," she said, retreating to the bathroom.

* * *

The heavy door swung open into the alley with a metal grunt and Kenzi stepped outside. She looked left and right before she smiled. "Thought I'd find you out here."

Bo was standing in the alley staring at the sky, trying hard to make sense of her life. "You know me too well," she said with a smirk.

Kenzi pulled her jacket around her as she took a few steps to Bo's side, carefully maneuvering through the snow. "So you wanna tell me what's up with you and Lauren, then?"

Bo sighed and looked away. "It's a long story."

Kenzi looked around for effect. "I've got time."

Bo chuckled. "I guess you're right."

"So…?"

She stared at Kenzi, having a hard time getting her words in order. "Lauren wants a baby."

Kenzi made a face. "Well, that's simple. I have a baby. Let's talk business."

Bo laughed. "Kenz seriously, what am I going to do?"

The answer seemed obvious. "You're going to give her a baby." Kenzi shrugged.

Bo scoffed. "I may be Fae, but I'm not _that_ kind of Fae."

Kenzi rolled her eyes. "No, but you can be supportive."

"I am." Bo was quick to respond, but frowned as soon as she said it. "I think. I mean, I want a baby too…"

Kenzi shrugged again. "Then what's the hold up?"

"I don't know. I just feel like there's never been enough time for us to be together."

Kenzi looked skyward and groaned, her breath curling over her head. "Girl, you've spent five years going round and round, you weren't worried about time then."

"I know." She smiled when Kenzi moved in front of her and took her hands.

"Listen, taking care of Dagny has been an honor and I'll admit it has made me feel mom-like things, but I know I'm not ready to be a parent. I'm a glorified nanny." Kenzi smiled and squeezed Bo's hands. "You… you're ready, Bo."

"How can you say that? We haven't even spoken in almost a year."

"Because I know you. And I know Lauren. And you guys are going to be great parents."

Bo sighed and looked at their snow-covered feet. "I wish I could be so sure."

"Trust your heart, Bo." Kenzi rubbed Bo's shoulders through her coat. "It won't lead you astray. It got you this far, didn't it?"

* * *

Bo was chilled through by the time they stepped in from the alley. Night had fallen while they were standing outside and inside the liquor was flowing freely, their friends happy to be together again. Christmas carols piped endlessly through the bar's antiquated sound system set the mood as Vex's near-perfect Christmas pudding was served. The room smelled of coffee and sugar, quiet conversations soothed her nerves while the ill-timed boisterous laughter from the boys at the pool table only served to set her on edge again. With practiced grace, Bo pushed away from the table, gesturing to Kenzi that she was going to look for Lauren. Kenzi smiled at the pair-the chase was still alive.

Bo stopped outside the ladies' room. She might not have been making any noise, but Bo knew Lauren was in there. It was a place she retreated to when she wanted to get away from the 'Fae of it all,' she said. Bo knocked on the door softly and waited - almost a full two minutes, in fact - before the door clicked and swung open.

"Hey…" She smiled and stood at attention in front of Lauren. "I missed you."

Lauren smirked at the slur in her words and shook her head, both at Bo's charming inebriation and her own inability to resist it. "You're drunk."

Bo wagged her finger. "I'm tipsy." She stepped into Lauren's space. "I can't stand it when you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad." Lauren shook her head, her expression unreadable.

"Then what would you call this?" Bo called attention to the fact that Lauren was leaning away from her.

"A safe distance."

Bo slumped. "Where's the fun in that?" She played with the subtle curl in a strand of Lauren's hair. "You're right. You shouldn't have to wait your turn. You should never have had to wait."

Lauren cocked her head with interest. "Are you…?"

"I'm ready." She nodded with a grin.

Lauren's hands came to rest on either side of her face, ardently kissing Bo. Her hand stroked Bo's cheek as they parted. "I'll call the clinic next week and we'll start the process."

Bo nodded enthusiastically. "Great, yeah." She didn't have a clue what the process was, but her aim was to be as supportive as possible. And for Bo, in her inebriated state, that meant celebrating. "Come on." Taking Lauren's hand, Bo tugged her toward the keg room.

"Bo," she whispered as Bo pulled her inside. The room was dark and it smelled of hops and oak as she stumbled through the doorway behind her. "Whatever you're thinking of doing…"

Bo's mouth was on her almost immediately, kissing a trail from her ear to her shoulder. "Mistletoe," she mumbled.

Lauren let her head fall back, her eyes opening to a bundle of mistletoe hanging above them. A chuckle from deep within rumbled through her chest. "When did you put that there?"

The group was rowdy now and their voices carried through the walls. Holding Lauren against her body, Bo smiled. "A succubus has to have some secrets…" She said before ducking her head again.

"Bo… as much as I might want to explore exhibitionism with you, all of our friends are out there."

"They'll understand." Bo tugged at the hem of her blouse.

Lauren began to relax into her, sliding her hands up Bo's back, embracing her. "You do make a lot of sense sometimes."

Bo pulled away from her and laughed. "Sometimes, huh?"

Lauren smirked. "You can't win them all."

Bo's hands were at her waist, lifting her onto a barrel. "Is this one of those times?" She grunted.

She hummed. "Mmmaybe."

Bo was three buttons in to her shirt when Lauren kissed her fiercely. Soon Bo's hand cupped her breast, her bra a long-forgotten remnant of their embrace. Lauren sighed at the familiarity of her touch, so comforting and yet still exciting.

The succubus tore at the button on her slacks, Lauren leaning back, holding herself up with her hands as she lifted her rear. Bo yanked her pants over her hips and stepped into the vee of her legs. A smile, the twinkle in her eye, her tongue darting out to taste her own lip, Lauren was imbued with the succubus' charm. If she wasn't sitting down, Lauren may well have swooned.

Bo ran her fingertips between Lauren's breasts, over her stomach, and lower still. Lauren saw her wrist turn, feeling Bo's fingers on her. Lauren sighed again, this time for the arousal she felt. Gasping as Bo explored her thoroughly, Lauren was hushed with a kiss.

Stroking her thoughtfully, Bo nipped at her earlobe. "How 'bout now?" Her voice was honey and silk and Lauren felt each of her words reverberate between her legs.

Just as she was formulating a reply, Bo sunk into her. A low groan escaped the blonde before Bo covered Lauren's mouth with hers again. The slow slide of her tongue against Lauren's was enough to drive anyone crazy, but right then it held a strange power over her. The way she tasted of wine and gingersnap cookies made her question whether she was ever really alive before that moment.

She pulled away before pressing deeper and snatched the gasp from Lauren's mouth with her own. Her touch was maddeningly slow, and Lauren had to banish thoughts of climaxing in a rush as it was clear that Bo was going to take her time.

Bo nudged her legs open wider and stepped between them. Her eyes fluttered as Bo's hand worked rhythmically between Lauren's legs. She gripped the barrel as Bo leaned over her, kissing her with an outrageous affection. It was then her hips began to rock, her arm serving as an extension. Deeper she pressed, thrusting insistently, her hips moving against Lauren's, whose head fell back, a cascade of blonde hair dangling behind her.

"Bo," she whimpered.

But Bo didn't speak, instead rocking her hips against Lauren's, driving her fingers deeper. When her thumb flicked against her roughly, Lauren's arms wrapped tightly around Bo. With each rotation of Bo's hips, Lauren came closer to the edge of the abyss. She knew she would never be lost in its depths with Bo holding her so carefully and so she let herself sink.

The concentration and pleasure scrawled across Bo's features left her breathless. And as she brought Lauren bliss, Bo's attention never wavered. That a Fae whose purpose it was to take and steal chi could be so giving boggled Lauren's scientific mind but knowing Bo, whose purpose it was to save and help others, it was very believable. Bo inhaled her skin before tasting the sweat that had begun to bead on her chest as her hips wound Lauren tighter.

Hips alive with purpose, Lauren pressed against her hand, coordinating her movements with Bo's, who captured Lauren's mouth again. Their hips pulled and pushed with a frenetic urgency, their mouths locked together, and Lauren trembled in her arms. She tore her mouth away, gasping as she buried her face in Bo's neck. And then oblivion was at Bo's fingertips and, with one judicious swipe of her thumb, Lauren was undone, her cries muffled against Bo's neck.

* * *

Dyson was pouring himself another pint when Kenzi sidled up to the bar. They both looked toward the keg room as a few thumps could be heard and then they both sighed as if it was scripted. Kenzi looked up at Dyson when he passed her the glass and they smiled at each other while they each enjoyed the first sip of their beer.

"You talk to Bo yet?" Dyson broke the silence first.

"Yeah." Kenzi took another drink. "'It's too dangerous,'" she mocked, rolling her eyes.

"Well she's not wrong."

"She's not right, either," Kenzi snapped. "I'm sorry, but any Fae that wanted to could grab Dagny from me while we were on the way to daycare… or shopping." She stared at her glass. "And then what? Wait for one of you guys to drive four hours to rescue me?"

Dyson raised his eyebrows, unable to argue. He took a drink from his beer. "Look, Dagny's safer in the Human world right now. And Bo trusts you."

Kenzi looked off to Vex and Mark who rocked the baby in her carrier. "I know she trusts me, I just don't trust myself."

"Kenzi…" There was that tone she hadn't heard from him in months, maybe years.

"I let my guard down, Dyson. The tow truck driver. I thought I could trust him… he was close enough to… I don't know.

"But your instincts were right."

"But what if I wasn't?"

"But you were." He smiled like an all-knowing Fae. He reached across the table and took her hand. "There isn't anyone more suited to look after Tamsin's heir than you, Kenz." When her eyes lifted to his face, he continued. "This is an unfortunate necessity with Fae that are destined for something greater. Remember Bo's origins." Kenzi nodded. "It won't be long, at least. Six months, a year maybe?" He lifted her hand and kissed it before refilling her glass. "We miss you, Kenz."

She smiled. "Same."

* * *

Lauren pressed her against a barrel and Bo grinned at the beams above them and the mistletoe that hung there. "Oh my," she said breathlessly. Lauren's laugh was a low rumble, still raspy from her own release, and she unzipped Bo's top, her ample bosom spilling out as she did away with her bra. "Doctor," Bo said flirtatiously.

"Shhh…" She wagged a finger at Bo and claimed her lips. Her hand unzipped the synthetic wonderland that was Bo's pants and yanked them off her hips. Bo laughed and Lauren hushed her again. And when Lauren hooked her fingers around the waistband of Bo's thong, she sat up and took notice. Sliding down her body, she pulled Bo's panties away and, hands on her thighs, lowered her mouth to Bo.

Bo jumped at the sensation and exhaled a shaky breath. Lauren was amazing at everything she tried except maybe acting at ease in social settings. But this…this was wonderful. Her voice caught in the back of her throat when she tried to urge her on, hand coming to rest on the side of her face.

Bo's eyes burned into her and Lauren had to close her eyes to keep from being drawn up to her again. Instead her focus remained true, pleasure for a succubus who had given her so much. To be able to give her a fraction of that was a privilege she didn't take lightly. Bo may have been with so many more than Lauren ever cared to know about, but there was an agreement between them, however unspoken. Lauren held Bo's heart and there was no deviation from that truth. So now, cheek pressed against Bo's thigh, neck straining against the pressure of her hips. She worked furiously, her head nodding encouragement as Bo's breathing quickened.

Bo's hand squeezed her shoulder, her hips undulating against Lauren's mouth. She watched her closely now, her eyes bright blue as they blinked open and then squeezed shut as she began to tremble. Lauren caressed Bo's forearm, still clinging to her shoulder.

The pressure was intoxicating, as were the well-timed swipes of Lauren's tongue. Her back arched and she rode the wave that would lead to her own release but she held on, clawing at space and time, devouring her pleasure as freely as it was given. When Lauren hummed against her, Bo was crippled. Her knees shook, her breath caught in her throat, and her hips thrust into Lauren. And through it all, Lauren held her, cared for her, loved her. It was the very opposite of what Bo had become used to as a single succubus, but now it was all she craved.

Lauren pulled away from her slowly and sat back on her heels, looking up at Bo who blinked back emotion as she met her gaze. She tilted her head and shook it, her hair falling from side to side as she did. "You're amazing."

She smiled as she dusted her pants off and stood in front of Bo. "It has come up before." Laughing, Bo reached for her, pulling her into an embrace. Lauren kissed her on the cheek, lips traveling to Bo's ear. "We should get back," she purred.

Bo grunted. All she wanted now was Lauren. It didn't matter how many miles Kenzi had driven, or how much time Vex had spent on the Christmas pudding, at that moment the Doctor was all she needed. So when she smirked before ducking out of Bo's embrace, her eyes followed her retreating form eagerly. The way she let her body sway as she walked away left Bo feeling things that should have been settled moments before.

Bo groaned. "You never did fight fair."

Bo took her time redressing before taking one last glance at the mistletoe and returning to the dining table. Lauren was holding Dagny again and looking so peaceful with a smile that touched her eyes, her hand soothing the baby's hair as she laughed with Kenzi and Dyson. This was the beautiful envelope of their family and bringing another baby into their world didn't seem so scary anymore. Lauren smiled at her from afar and Bo felt it in her bones. She was loved. And there was plenty of love to go around.

* * *

End part 3


	4. Chapter 4

He was alone at the bar, watching over the dinner table, taking in the empty plates and bottles. Dinner had been a success, full of appreciation and kudos, he just couldn't figure out why he felt unfinished. Unfinished like a red sauce that hasn't been let to simmered long enough, runny and weak and it felt like acceptance of Vex hinged on this performance.

"Sexy Vexy," Kenzi said, distracting him from his thoughts. "Why the long face?" She pouted for effect.

"Dyson's been riding me like a pony since I started dating Mark."

"You know what they say: two's fun, three's a party."

Vex scrunched his nose and shook his head. "Not with the wolf," he grumped.

"How are you and the boy wonder doing, anyway?"

"Eh," he said wiping the bar top with a rag. "He's good, I think I'll keep him."

"I thought for sure you'd have grown tired of him by now."

"He can be tiresome," Vex smirked. "But…"

"He's ripped," Kenzi finished his thought.

Vex grinned. "Yeah." He sighed. "But Dyson…"

"He's just sore. The wolf can be such a Dy-baby. You want me to talk to him?"

"Would you?" He looked hopeful.

"Nah, you're on your own for this one, big guy."

"Having a laugh now are you? Well, ha-ha, this is _serious_."

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I'll talk to him. But I make no promises. That pooch is stubborn."

Everyone jumped when the door blew open and all at once every Fae at the table stood in defense of Dagny and the Humans shielding her. Collectively, they held their breath until a perfectly manicured hand appeared on the doorjamb and out of the blowing snow Evony Fleurette Marquis did appear. Mark rushed to close the door as she sashayed into the pub.

"Look what the cat dragged in." Vex hissed for effect.

"That's my line." Evony sneered and looked at the Fae frozen next to the table as she shrugged out of her fur coat. "The gang's all here."

"No holiday's complete without at least one crazy relative crashing the party." Kenzi bounced Dagny on her hip and smirked.

"Get her a plate, Vex." Bo forced a smile. The men relaxed and returned to their seats.

"Gladly." He wandered toward the kitchen. "Now where did I leave my arsenic shaker?"

Evony wandered further into the bar, into their sanctuary for lost and broken Fae and Humans that somehow they had woven together to form a family. She looked at Kenzi holding the baby and made a face. Her eyes glanced past Bo to Lauren. "Is this the Human table?"

"Still not over that?"

Evony scowled at Bo. "Would you be?"

"I'm sure it's not half as bad as you let on."

"Oh, that's right. You're more than comfortable playing house with your Human life partner, and raising the dead Valkyrie's baby together."

"Why aren't you spending the holiday with your husband, Evony?" Lauren asked from over Bo's shoulder.

"He's out of town making the world a better place." She sighed. "Another hostile takeover."

"Are you sure he's not just spending the holiday with his _other_ family?" Kenzi blurted.

Vex dropped a plate of food in front of Evony unceremoniously. "Don't choke on it," he said retreating to the kitchen again.

Lauren covered her mouth and looked away as Evony's chin wibbled, her mouth unable to form words. Being Human had made Evony softer and Lauren felt responsible for these nervous breakdowns. "Kenzi," she chided.

"What? We're being nice to her now?" Kenzi looked at Bo, confused.

"It's fine," Evony dabbed her eye melodramatically. "I can take it." She looked at her plate of food. "Did you get this from the men's mission?"

"Vex worked very hard," Kenzi defended.

"Well now you know why I fired him-his presentation is army barracks or high school cafeteria tray. To elevate one's food, you must elevate it."

"What is she talking about?" Kenzi jerked her thumb in Evony's direction.

"One of the main principles of plating food is height," Lauren explained.

"Is Hotpants the Evony decoder ring I've always hoped and dreamed about?" She elbowed Bo in the side.

Bo ignored Kenzi and turned to Evony. "So what brings you here tonight, Evony?"

"I was hungry and I heard that Trick's rejects were collecting at the Dal so I thought-" Bo's face fell. "Was it something I said?"

"If you wanted to hang out with your kind, you could have joined that wake of vultures eating road kill up on Canyon Road and saved us all the trouble." Lauren took a long drink from the glass of wine in front of her before she noticed everyone staring at her. "I'm supposed to be the nice one? I'm always the nice one."

"Says the woman that took my Fae."

Lauren groaned. "Please, can we move on from this conversation forever?"

"And then you know what she did? She used the research on herself."

Bo got to her feet suddenly, taking Evony's elbow in her hand "All right, Evony. Let's get you a doggy bag."

"Wait. What? Just what are you trying to say?" Evony stood her ground, indignant as ever.

"It's time to go." Bo pulled on Evony's arm. "Mark, call Evony a cab."

"So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye!" Kenzi sang from her side of the table.

Evony's jaw dropped. "Give me a break, it's Christmas Eve." She looked around the room for sympathy. "You can't just throw a person out on Christmas Eve… it's unhuman."

"Inhuman," Lauren corrected.

"Oh, shut up."

Bo pulled on Evony's arm. "Are you going to behave?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because it beats sitting outside in the snow waiting for a cab to take you back to your empty mansion." Bo sat back down next to Lauren.

"Duly noted." Evony looked around the room then, the drama having passed, and everyone resumed what they had been doing before. "So how are the _lovebirds_?" Her eyes glanced to Bo's hand on Lauren's thigh. "On again, I see. When you're ready for a plus one to liven up that sad little bedroom act, you know where to find me." Evony walked to the bar. "Hey teen wolf, do you know how to make a martini?"

"Sure do." From the other side of the bar Mark shot her his best Abercrombie and Fitch grin.

She leaned over the counter. "Three olives and make it dirty."

* * *

The keg room door opened and Dyson, with his back to the door, inhaled deeply. He smiled and turned to greet her. "What are you doing in here, K-star?"

"You work too hard," she said inspecting her nails.

He unhooked the connection on an empty keg and rolled a full keg into its place and reattached it. "It's a matter of keeping the beer flowing, my friend." Standing upright, he dusted his hands off. "What's really bothering you, Kenz?"

"Well, I was talking to Vex…" Dyson resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but the groan wasn't so inconspicuous. "Give him a break, D-man. He's really trying."

Dyson got to his feet. "He can try all he wants but that will never erase who he is." He tried to step past Kenzi, but she put a hand on his chest.

"I seem to remember a certain wolf killing himself over previous transgressions," she said. "A lot, actually."

Dyson sighed. "Yeah, and I still am."

"So don't you think Vex is doing the same?" He looked at the ceiling. "I know you hate his guts, but he's been there for us. Doesn't that deserve something?"

"I guess." He sighed again. "Why did it have to be my son?"

"Your son loves him."

Dyson made a face. "I don't think I'm ready for this."

"Parenting's hard, D-Man, let me tell you." Kenzi stepped next to him and wrapped an arm around him. "I'm already on my second valkyrie and I am not looking forward to another teenager."

Dyson chuckled and draped an arm over her shoulder. "Maybe you can help me out then."

Kenzi patted his stomach as they walked out of the keg room. "Atta boy. Anytime."

* * *

Hours later, Bo found herself in the alley outside the Dal by the light of the streetlights. She watched them pile into the back seat of a taxi, Kenzi buckling the car seat in before Lauren joined her with the diaper bag. She looked over her shoulder and out the back window at Bo who stood next to Dyson.

"Thanks for hosting." She smiled at Lauren who turned back in her seat to fawn over the baby.

Dyson nodded. "Trick would have wanted us to celebrate together."

"He picked the right man to carry on his legacy."

"He prepared me well."

"I wish there had been more time," Bo said sadly.

"Life is not about controlling the elements, but instead adapting to them."

Bo smirked. "Did he leave you a book of Trick-isms too?"

Dyson chuckled. "No, I just picked those up during the thousand years I knew him."

Bo smiled. The five years she had spent with her Grandfather would never be enough, but with Dyson his memory was alive like the Olympic torch, passing his flame to each person he touches. "I'd better…" She pointed at the cab and turned to hug him. He smiled into her hair and inhaled her like he always did. Slipping away from him, Bo climbed into the front seat of the cab. He shut the door and tapped the roof of the cab twice as it drove away.

* * *

There was a resounding crash from the kitchen, followed by a cry of _'OPA!'_ and a drunken verse of Arthur's Theme that wafted out and into the bar as Vex washed up after dinner. Mark chuckled and collected glasses from the table while Dyson shot a round of pool. Shaking his head at every wavering note floated through the air.

"I'm gonna have to replace all that shit he's breaking," he mumbled.

Mark rolled his eyes and put the bus bin down. "I'll pay for it, relax."

Dyson sighed in frustration. "Did it have to be him?"

"What, would you have preferred Bo or something?"

"What did you say?"

Mark blinked. "Just… like you." He swallowed. "I mean, you know you can't choose who you fall in love with."

Dyson stared at him. "You love him?"

"I dunno, I mean… I think so." He turned to look over his shoulder at the caterwauling in the kitchen. "I can't stop thinking about him. When we're apart, I can't wait to see him again." Mark sighed. "He makes me feel-"

"Stop." Dyson held up his hand and closed his eyes. "I get it."

"Look, I know you guys hate each other. And you _both_ -" he paused for effect, "-have done terrible things in your past-"

"And present," Dyson mumbled.

"He's trying," Mark said.

Dyson growled low, rumbling in his chest. "Just… don't expect a quick turn around, okay?" He looked at his son's face and sighed. "This is still a lot for me to get used to."

Mark smiled at him. "Can't teach an old dog new tricks, huh?"

"Oh, you're going there?" Dyson smirked.

"Yeah, I'm going there," Mark grinned, leaning across the table.

Dyson smiled menacingly, a flash of gold in his eyes. "Rack 'em up, kid. I'm gonna kick your ass."

* * *

End part 4


	5. Chapter 5

The Christmas tree twinkled in the living room as Bo breezed past it with a pair of wine glasses in her hands. The lights were low and the music was too, the crooners of a forgotten age reminding them what Christmas was really about. She rounded the couch and dropped onto the cushion next to Lauren, a happy sigh escaped her.

"We survived another holiday," Bo said softly.

Lauren nodded and looked into her wine glass before taking a sip. "Do you ever think about your human family?"

Bo bit her lip and considered the question. "Yeah, you know, sometimes I do. I think about how my mom would make a pie every Sunday during the summer or the quilt she'd sew during the winter…"

"What about the holidays?"

"We had our traditions," she nodded. "But I have new ones now."

Lauren sipped the garnet colored liquid from her glass. "I miss them," she admitted.

"Your parents?" Bo scooted up to the edge of the sofa and turned toward Lauren.

She nodded. "It's hard to grieve the living."

"Maybe grieving isn't what you should be doing. Celebrate their memories, don't mourn."

Lauren smiled and titled her chin towards Bo. "When did you get so smart?"

"When you weren't looking." Bo reached out for her wine glass and set them aside. "C'mere." Bo leaned back, Lauren fitting into her side like a missing piece. The relief of the holiday passing without incident blanketed them like the snow falling outside. There was something to be said about the lull in the universe after the energy from the holiday had faded. A quiet sense of satisfaction had overtaken Bo, but Lauren was still stuck in her melancholy.

"I always thought I'd share being a mother with my mom."

"And you will on some level."

"You're kind of playing it fast and loose with the metaphysical."

Bo smirked. "I am a succubus…"

"Stop." Lauren swatted Bo's thigh playfully.

Inhaling sharply, a dazzling smile lit up Bo's features. "We're really gonna do this."

Her smile was infectious and Lauren found herself grinning back at her. "Yes, we are." Lauren clasped Bo's hand in hers

"I've got the urge to celebrate," she said with an impish grin.

"You're incorrigible."

"Really? I've always felt very corrigible." Bo trailed a finger along the seam of Lauren's top.

She smiled, grabbing hold of Bo's hand and bringing it to her lips. "You are a fast learner," Lauren hummed against her skin.

"The fastest." Bo smiled, tipping Lauren's chin up to hers. The softest kiss was followed by the sweetest sigh and Bo felt her love profoundly. Lauren reached for her, kissing her more insistently. There was no hesitation, no holding back, Bo pulled Lauren onto her lap and embraced her fully, Bo's mouth playing at the skin of Lauren's neck. Leaning back, Lauren straddled Bo's lap, both hands coming to rest on either side of Bo's face and lifting her head.

This fire, the fire they felt for each other had not diminished from that first touch, instead it grew brighter, more intense and beneath this crippling heat was the stability of a love like no other. Lauren pulled her top over her head and tossed it away. Bo's hands were on her sides almost immediately and Lauren kissed her again. Bo's hands moved to the button of Lauren's pants as her own hips bucked against her. Bo's leg kicked the coffee table and decorations went clattering to the hardwood floor, and upstairs the baby began to cry.

"Shit." Lauren reached for her top and covered herself with it.

"What in holy Hanukah is going on out here?" Kenzi stood on the landing, baby in tow bouncing off her hip. She took one look at Lauren and shook her head. "Same ol' Hotpants."

Bo looked from Lauren to Kenzi. "Kenzi is everything okay?"

"Well, I feel bitchy admitting this but I am not a fan of the down pillows."

"With the baby, Kenzi."

Kenzi smoothed a hand through Dagny's fine hair. "She's just fine."

"Then can we finish this in the morning?"

"You're the one that woke her up." Kenzi raised a finger. "Succubus interruptus. Get used to it." She nodded like Barbara Eden in _I Dream of Jeannie_.

Bo sighed. "Can you take care of it, _please_?" Bo whispered desperately.

"Oooh, sure." Kenzi nodded enthusiastically. "Just like old times."

"Excuse me," Lauren walked past, still covering herself with her top.

"Night Doc, Merry Christmas," Kenzi called after her as she crept past her and up the stairs. "So…" Kenzi looked around. "Never thought it'd feel so good to be back."

"You know I love you and I'm happy you're home, but I gotta go, Merry Christmas." Bo kissed her on the cheek and dashed up the stairs.

"Some things never change." Kenzi smirked to herself as she moved down the stairs and kissed the baby's head. She plopped onto the couch and, checking the clock, she grabbed the remote. "Let's get our Laverne and Shirley on."

A click and the television buzzed to life. She punched in the numbers she knew by heart and sat back with the happy baby. She was nanny to the Dark Lord's forbidden child, that was a heady responsibility. Kenzi was an intrinsic piece of their Fae family and her place was a little hard to accept at first, but she had grown into her role as Dagny's protector. She knew she was strong enough and she was stronger still knowing Bo trusted her with the enormous responsibility.

The baby drew deep breaths as she drifted into slumber and Kenzi giggled as Squiggy made another outrageous entrance. The Christmas tree twinkled and in the cover of darkness, Kenzi let her guard down. They were safe. Even with Bo canoodling Lauren upstairs, Kenzi felt safer than she had in the past eight months.

She sighed and looked at the high ceiling and its snow-covered skylights. It sure wasn't a crack shack, but Bo and Lauren's place had the same homey feel about it, minus the drafty walls and broken windows. They had a working furnace, allergen reducing air filters, drapes and windows without boards or bars on them. It was quite the achievement. Kenzi wondered when it would happen for her, or if it was even meant to happen for her. She was patient, though. She knew it would be her turn soon enough. With Nate, Kenzi knew she'd never fit into the human world again. She thought with Hale she had a real shot at happiness until Massimo took that away from her, too. Now, she was a nanny. Kenzi thought she was through babysitting in high school but apparently those were skills a girl never forgets. The rules were, of course, different when you throw in the Lord of the Underworld. For instance, she never had weapons stashed throughout her house when she was a sophomore but now things were different. Her katana was as much a constant companion as the baby was.

There were noises emanating from the succubus' lair now, Kenzi tapped the volume button for camouflage and leaned back into the cushions. As fates go, things could be a helluva lot worse and Kenzi was grateful to be loved by people and Fae with no other obligation to her than friendship. Their little family would be getting bigger soon, but Kenzi knew she'd always have a place within it, even if she did have to babysit. She giggled at Laverne telling another outlandish story.

Life was good. In the shadow of a holiday, so many things pale in comparison. But a family's love, their togetherness, is never so real as it is at Christmas. Home is not a nebulous concept at Christmas, either. It is an essential component and no matter where Kenzi went, hidden or in plain sight, she missed her family, she missed her home. Despite how right it felt to be home again, she knew she could not stay for long. For now, though, she would enjoy the immaculate townhouse with it's large back yard and two-car garage. She even liked the room they made up for her, but she suspected soon it would become a nursery. Bo was all grown up and it was hard not to feel left behind to some extent, but Kenzi knew that she had been entrusted with the most precious cargo of them all. She pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and covered herself and Dagny with it. Someday they would return and it would be Dagny's time to shine. Until then Kenzi would be her tireless champion, her mentor and bestie but she would always long for the days of being Bo's sidekick.

* * *

End part 5


	6. Chapter 6

Epilogue

* * *

Bo watched her enter with Mark and try to sweet talk Dyson out of a beer as she signed the ledger. And even as she explained her peril, Dagny looked unimpressed. She was Tamsin's blood, of that there was no disputing.

"The girl you were with…she was Human," Bo said.

"Yeah, so?" The teen valkyrie looked annoyed.

"You have the potential to hurt or kill without meaning to."

She looked at Bo. "You and the Human doctor are a thing, aren't you?"

"I learned how to control my gifts. It's going to take some time for you to figure this stuff out. And we want to help. Lauren will monitor your health closely as you mature, Dyson and I will teach you how to fight, and Vex will teach you how to get inside your foe's head."

"Sounds like you have my life all figured out then."

"Some of that patented Tamsin charm," Lauren interjected.

"Holy baked beans and burritos! Doc! You're up." Kenzi came from across the room, holding an infant away from her as if it were a bomb. Lauren received the baby happily, disappearing downstairs to change her. Kenzi put her hand on her hip and leaned into Bo.

"Thanks for helping out, Kenz."

"Are you kidding? I am kind of owning this nanny thing now. In fact, I bet I could teach you and Snicklefritz a thing or two."

Bo laughed. "Maybe, but Lauren has this down pat."

"I notice you didn't rush to change Astrid."

Bo smirked. "We, uh, have an agreement about that."

"I have got to teach her how to bargain."

"Snicklefritz, huh?" Lauren stood behind the pair smiling as she fussed over the baby in her arms.

"You heard that?"

"Come here baby." Bo reached for Astrid, taking her from Lauren's arms. Immediately, the baby's hands were on Bo's perfectly coiffed locks. Lauren leaned in and untangled the child's hands from her hair. Bo was awkward with Astrid but she tried, oh, she tried. The baby began to fuss and Bo frowned.

"She's hungry," Lauren said and Bo transferred the baby once again.

"You guys are on your own for that one… Oh Dagny," she called in a singsong voice. "Dags, get over here." She scuttled away.

Lauren walked to the fireplace and the wingback chairs that faced it. She sat with Astrid, quietly unbuttoning her shirt. Moments later, she was feeding. Bo sat across from her and smiled at what most resembled family time these days. They would talk in hushed tones about their days or plans for the next as Astrid breastfed. It was a time of connectedness and Bo felt cemented in her new role even if she felt completely helpless half the time. It was her family.

* * *

"Are you really a cop?" Dagny asked.

"Yep." Mark nodded. "I'm taking up where Dyson left off."

"You've been following me."

"I heard you like trouble and I thought you might need backup eventually."

"I wouldn't call my situation tonight life-threatening."

"You're brand new. You don't get to do what you want, kid."

"Kid? Look at you, dude."

"This colony is different, but trust me, there are still rules."

"So no booze, no sex, no fun whatsoever while the movie monsters prepare me for the next apocalypse. What are you anyway?"

"It's not polite to ask that."

"I know. I just wanted to see if you'd answer."

He laughed. Tamsin would be proud. "I'm a shifter."

* * *

"Kenzi," Lauren called after her. "Do you have a minute?"

She frowned. "Sure? What's up?"

They walked to the old sofa and sat a comfortable distance apart. "I just wanted to say thank you, you know, for putting your life on hold and helping us out. It's been a real blessing."

"Aw shucks, Sugar! I'm just sewing my baby oats as they were."

Lauren laughed. "I never thought we'd get here, you know?"

"Get where?"

"Friends. You're helping to rear my child. It just used to be so different."

"When you used to stay over at the Clubhouse and drink all the wine and use all the hot water… Hmm, that's not making me like you very much right now."

Lauren laughed. "You were always watching Top Model and painting your toenails when I wanted to watch the news."

"Call it even?" Kenzi raised her hand and squeezed it into a fist, holding it expectantly out for Lauren, who awkwardly bumped it with her own. She made a face. "You'll get it one of these days."

* * *

Bo watched Lauren botch the fist bump once again and smiled. Social graces, she had plenty but Kenzi's unfinished symphony of scamp always gave her pause. She looked down at Astrid, snoozing in her arms and sighed. Bo was a mama. Astrid was just a few months old and Bo was still completely overwhelmed, but Lauren was calmer and more self-assured than Bo had ever seen her. The role reversal would have been alarming but Bo had realized it was her time to grow and that it was Lauren's time to shine. Bo and Kenzi were support staff but they were still an unstoppable team. And that moment was her moment with Astrid, the fire warming them as they sat in front of it, surrounded by the voices and laughter of their friends.

Dyson crouched in front of them. "You're getting the hang of it now, kid." He caressed the top of the baby's head.

"Are you talking to me or Astrid?"

"I always knew you'd be a good mother, Bo." He patted her leg and stood in front of her.

"Dyson," her voice was tinged with melancholy. She hated to see him so down but she no longer took ownership of making him feel that way. Still, his sadness affected her.

He shook his head. "It's okay," he said. "This is how it was supposed to go." He looked over his shoulder at Lauren. "It's good."

She smiled. He was trying. "I heard Mark was up for a promotion," Bo cringed as she changed the subject.

"He's a natural." Dyson smiled and Bo could see the swell of pride in his chest.

"We're gonna be all right," Bo said. She wasn't sure why she said it or who exactly she meant, but it was out there. Their eyes met and for all the sadness Bo saw in his, there was a reflection of hope, a sense that he was okay, and that she wasn't just reassuring him, he was reassuring her. He knew she was insecure about her maternal instinct despite learning more every day. And in that moment, as her and Lauren's baby lay sleeping in her arms, Bo didn't doubt that she had what it took to be a mother anymore. Lauren had enough instinct for the both of them, and Bo would learn. She was a fast learner. The fastest.

Dyson smiled and nodded, looking over his shoulder at Lauren approaching. "Yeah, we are."

* * *

Fin.


End file.
